Military Branch Hand Tattoo Policies

I'm in my junior year and thinking about a military career, but I got inked recently (hand tattoo). Is there any branch of the military that allows hand tattoos? Any help would be appreciated!

Absolutely, several branches of the military allow hand tattoos. However, each branch has its own policy regarding tattoos, and it's crucial to be well-versed with those policies.

For instance, the Army allows tattoos on hands, but it must not extend beyond the wrist line. Additionally, the tattoo cannot be larger than the wearer's hand, and racist, sexist, or extremist tattoos are prohibited.

The Air Force also updated their policy in 2020, removing the restriction on the size or number of tattoos allowed below the elbow and the knee. Hand tattoos are permitted, but only one single-band ring tattoo, on one finger, on one hand is allowed. Again, tattoos that contain obscene, racist, or discriminatory symbols or language are unacceptable.

The Navy has a more lenient tattoo policy, compared to all the branches. They permit tattoos on the hands and even on the back of the neck. The rules around size and location mainly pertain to the content of the tattoos.

Lastly, the Marine Corps allows a single tattoo per hand, but it must be no larger than the individual’s hand when the fingers are extended and joined with the thumb against the base of the index finger. The tattoo must not be visible outside a properly fitting ring, and no tattoos are permitted on the fingers.

So, based on the policies, your hand tattoo may be allowed, but it's recommended to contact a local recruiter, who can give detailed information based on your specific tattoo.